Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, on Saturday (2nd July), reacted to James Anderson’s remark of ‘he can bat like a proper batter now’. He said that when someone score runs everyone says that they think of themselves as a proper batter.
After India found themselves tumbling at 98/5, both Pant and Jadeja made sure that the visitors avoid further damage and stitched a record 222-run stand to bail their team out of trouble.
Despite Rishabh Pant’s brutal 146-run knock hogging all the limelight on day one, one cannot forget the crucial role Jadeja played. The all-rounder held one end, giving freedom to Rishabh Pant to commit the carnage on England bowlers as he did.
Read Also: “England bowled pretty well, but then Rishabh Pant played an amazing innings”- James Anderson
Jadeja took a conservative approach while punishing the bad deliveries at the same time. After Pant was out, the focus shifted towards him and he made sure that he meets all the expectations by smashing his third Test ton, his first in overseas conditions. The southpaw scored 104 runs and helped his side post a first-innings total of 416 runs.
After Day 2, English pacer Anderson talked about Jadeja’s knock. He said that the all-rounder batted at No.8 in the past, where he ‘chanced his arm’. But now he bats like a proper batter at No.7.
“In the past, he was coming at 8, bat with the tail so he had to chance his arm a little bit, whereas now at 7 he can bat like a proper batter. He leaves really well and made it difficult for us,” James Anderson said.
Reacting to Anderson’s comment Jadeja said that he has always given himself time at the crease and has always tried to stitch partnerships. He said that it’s nice that Anderson has realized after 2014 that he bats like a proper batter.
Read Also: Brian Lara congratulates Jasprit Bumrah on breaking his record of most runs in an over in Test cricket
"See, when you score runs, everyone says they think of themselves as a proper batter. But I've always tried to give myself time at the crease, to set a partnership with whoever is at the crease, to play with him. It's nice Anderson has realized that after 2014," Ravindra Jadeja said after stumps on day 2.
Notably, during the 2014 Test series, Anderson and Jadeja exchanged some words with each other on the way back to the pavilion for lunch in the first Test, and then they had a spat in the corridor as well, the details of which still remain unclear.
Coming to the match, after India posted a total of 416 runs on the board, Bumrah took his side off the flier with the ball as he took three quick wickets to put England under pressure.
Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj too chipped in as they reduced the hosts to 84/5 at stumps on Day 2.
(PTI inputs)
